Updated 06:22 p.m., Friday, May 11, 2012

When Mexicans shop for houses in San Antonio, either to live in permanently or as a second home, they like to live close to other Mexicans who have chosen San Antonio as their U.S. city.

“They feel more comfortable,” said Cora Turpin, a real estate agent for Keller Williams Legacy Group Realty. “They also like to be near businesses that belong to Mexicans.”

Some prime areas where Mexicans are congregating in San Antonio are in Stone Oak, especially the Sonterra section, Rogers Ranch and the Dominion, said Turpin, who specializes in serving Mexicans looking for residential real estate.

Some Mexicans are exceptions, however, said Jean Marie Ruffini, an agent with Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Realtors’ Northwest office. A few have been looking and buying in the Elm Creek, Alon and Whispering Oaks areas to be closer to the central city, Ruffini said.

“They may prefer to live in North Central inside Loop 1604 where they would be closer to the Medical Center, airport, the University of Texas at San Antonio, USAA, Hardberger Park and the new Alon shopping center,” Ruffini said. “The driving congestion and the construction at the intersection of (U.S.) 281 and 1604 may begin to take the bloom off of the Sonterra area.”

More than 50,000 San Antonio residences are owned by Mexicans, said lawyer Robert Braubach. About 10 percent of the houses in Northwest San Antonio are owned by Mexicans, especially houses in gated, secure subdivisions, Braubach said.

In Sonterra, Mexicans are buying houses from the upper $200,000 to $500,000 range, Turpin said.

Some Mexicans prefer Rogers Ranch because it is more isolated. “Some don’t like a high-traffic area,” Turpin said. Rogers Ranch houses range from $400,000 to $600,000, she said.

In the Dominion, prices range from $600,000 to $1 million. “Wealthy Mexicans from Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey are coming from high-society, gated neighborhoods. They want the same here: gated, private, pricey, secure and high society. So they like to be at the Dominion.”

If Mexicans are shopping for condominiums, Turpin said, they will find some in the $150,000 to $200,000 range inside Loop 1604 on San Antonio’s North Side. Mexican condo shoppers are looking for a part-time home in San Antonio usually, not a permanent residence, she said.

When shopping for houses, Mexicans look for big and roomy.

“They like large bedrooms, four to six of them,” Turpin said. “They like to have a lot of bathrooms, a minimum of three, but four or five are better.”

If the family will live in San Antonio full time, they want a yard, which they usually do not have in Mexico. If the house is going to be a second, part-time home, Mexican buyers usually will avoid a yard, she said.

Mexican house buyers prefer new houses or houses that are less than 7 years old, Turpin said. “They don’t like old houses,” she said. “If they see a house under construction, and they like the area, they will buy it right away.”

Mexicans also seek neighborhoods that have a common recreation area with swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, Turpin said.

Inside the houses, Mexicans have preferences.

“People from Mexico do not like carpet,” Turpin said. They prefer wood or stone flooring and granite countertops. “If there is a porch or an outside kitchen, they really love that,” Turpin said.

A gas stove in the kitchen is a must. It is, after all, difficult to heat tortillas on an electric stove, Turpin and Ruffini said.

Ruffini said another key factor for some Mexican families is separate living quarters for maids or to accommodate extended family members.

When showing houses to Mexican shoppers, home sellers should prepare the house to open with minimal furniture. “Keep the windows and curtains open,” Ruffini said. “In Mexico, houses have a lot of light.”

The experience of selling to Mexicans is different for real estate agents, Turpin said.

Some Mexican shoppers will ask first to see houses priced near $300,000, but after looking at some they will hike their price range, Turpin said. One couple looked at between 30 to 35 houses and then decided to build their own house, she recall-ed.

While some Mexicans try to obtain mortgages to establish their credit standing in the United States, most end up paying cash for houses. “Seventy to 75 percent of them pay cash,” Turpin said.

“They do not just want help (from agents) to close the sale,” Turpin explained. “They want a friendship relationship with the Realtor. They like to have a cup of wine with the Realtor.

“They like to feel,” she added, “that they are the only clients in the world.”